Machine for making blocks or tiles.



, No. 010,300. v PATENTED JAN. 10, 1000.

0. 1. 0 J. E. PETTII.

MACHINE FOR MAKING BLOCKS OR TILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.11.1905.

' 3 SHBETSSHEET 1.

$110M tom,

fimzlff e z wwmma 6% atkozwmt 'PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

D. I. & J. B. PETTIT.

MACHINE FOR MAKING BLOCKS 0R TILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.11.1905.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

PATENTED JAN. 16

D. I. & J. E. PETTIT.

MACHINE FOR MAKING BLOCKS 0R TILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.11.1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

album! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL I. PETTIT AND JOHN E. PETTIT, GRAND JUNCTION, IOWA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed March 11,1905. Serial No. 249,619.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DANIEL I. PETTIT and JOHN E. PETTIT, citizens of the United States, residing at Grand Junction, in the county of Greene and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Blocks or Tiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for forming artificial-stone blocks or tiles from cement and other plastic materials, and particularly to machines of the type adapted for making hollow building-blocks.

One object of the invention is to provide a block or tile machine which is efficient in use and easily operated and wherein the sides of the mold and cores are simultaneously retractable to expose the molded blocks or tiles for ready removal.

Another object is to provide improved means for operating the sides of the moldbox and for adjustably mounting the same for use in making blocks of different sizes, also for supporting mold bottom boards of different sizes and providing for the use of mold sides or patterns of different forms,,

whereby the machine may be quickly set for making blocks or tiles of different shapes.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawin s, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of amold or tile making machine constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing the sides of the mold-box moved outwardly to the position they assume for releasing the completed mold or tile Fig. 4 is a central vertical front-to-rear section showing the movable frame or supporting-table lowered and the sides of the moldbox retracted, leaving the block or tile (shown in dotted lines) supported upon the box-bottom for removal. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the adjustable frame or table. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the eccentric-head and bars operated thereby for adjusting the sides of the mold-boX. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the means for detachably connecting one of the sides of the mold-box with its carrier-board; and Fig. 8 is a detail view of the upper end of one of the posts, showing the extension -bracket applied thereto for supporting large bottom boards.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the sup- 7 porting-frame of the machine, which is preferably of oblong rectangular form and may be of any preferred construction, but, as shown, consists of rectangular top and bottom frame portions 2 and 3, each consisting of front and rear bars 4 and 5, connected by end bars 6 and 7, the said two frame members being connected at the corners by standards or uprights 8. At a point about midway of the height of the frame these standards or uprights are tied and reinforced by suitable braces 9.

Arranged vertically in the frame are four center posts 10, and vertically adjustable in the frame is a table 11, corresponding in form to the frame and comprising front and rear longitudinal bars 12 and 13 and end bars 14 and 15. Extending longitudinally of the table are supporting bars or rails 16, and between these bars or rails 16 are guide bars or rails 17, to which is secured at a central point a supporting-block 18. Arranged at right angles to the supporting-bars 16 and extending from front to rear of the frame are front and rear sets of supporting-bars 16 and intermediate guide-bars 17'.

The moldboX comprises a bottom board 19, supported upon the posts 10 and provided with one or more openings 20 for the upward passage of the cores hereinafter described, together with side boards or patterns 21, which are adjustable toward and from the sides and ends of the board 19 to form the complete mold-box and to open the same for the removal of the formed block or tile. The side and front and rear elements composing the said sides of the mold are slidably mounted upon the respectivebars 16 16 and 17 17 and each mold side comprises a board or pattern provided upon its rear side with grooved guideways 22, which are adapted to engage vertical holding portions 23 of brackets 24, fixed to a carrier-board 25, which slides upon the adjacent bars of the table. This detachable connection of the mold side or pattern permits of the interchangeable use of sides or patterns of different shapes, so that blocks or tiles of different form may be molded.

Pivotally mounted upon the block 18 is an eccentric adjusting-head or disk 26, shown in the present instance of' rectangular form and provided at one of its corners with a lever handle 27, projecting outwardly at the front of the frame, and whereby said head may be oscillated. To the corner portions of this head are pivoted links or adjusting bars 28,

each of which is formed at its free end with a plurality of openings 29, adapted to receive a bolt 30, connected with one of the carrierboards 25, these links or bars being equal in number to the mold sides and respectively connected by the bolts to the carrier boards thereof, so that said sides may be adjusted toward and from the bottom board 19. The bolts 30 project downward through the spaces between the guide-bars 17 and 17 and are provided at their lower ends with nuts 31, bridging across and overlapping the lower edges of the guide-bars to movably secure the carrier-boards to the table. The table supports the core or cores, two of which are shown in the present instance, each core 32 being disposed below an opening 20 in the box-bottom 19and provided at its lower end with a shank or projection 33, secured bya pin or like fastening 34 to and between the bars 17 on opposite sides of the block 18, whereby the cores are detachably mounted, so that cores of different shapes may be applied for the production of blocks or tiles of different form and construction.

The adjustable table is controlled in operation by means of an operating-lever comprising side bars 35,. j ointed at their rear ends to the frame by links 36 and connecting-bolts 37 and at their forward end by a transverse handle-bar 38. Intermediate their front and rear ends the side bars 35 are pivotally connected, as shown at 39, to short bars 40, secured to and hanging pendent from the side bars 15 of the table. When the lever is raised, the table will be elevated for operation to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, supporting-pins 41, adapted to fit in sockets in the front corner uprights 8 of the frame 1, being provided to hold the lever elevated. Upon removing these pins the lever may be forced downward to depress or lower the table, in which operation it is assisted by the tendency of these parts to fall by gravity, thus rendering the operation of lowering the table easy enough to be eflected by a boy or other attendant without the exercise of any great amount of power or strength.

In operation the table is elevated to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 and the lever 27 adjusted to move the sides of the mold-box inward and close said box for the receipt of the plastic material. The material is then forced into the box or poured thereinto in the usual way and the ordinary operations pursued to form and shape the mold or tile. The lever 27 is then operated to force the sides 21 away from the bottom board 19 of the mold, thus releasing the block or tile, and the lever controlling the table is then depressed to force said table downward, thus lowering the cores and mold sides below the bottom board 19, as shown in Fig. 4, thus leaving the mold or tile supported upon said bottom board for ready removal.

In order to enable bottom boards of greater length than the posts 10 are designed to customarily support to be em ployed for the production of comparatively large or long blocks or tiles, I provide means for extending the supporting-surfaces of said posts. As shown in Fig. 8, such means comprises a bracket 41, having an up er shelf or supporting portion 42 and a bod y-plate 43, the said body-plate being provided with a bifurcated lower end 44 and a curved lateral slot 45 adjacent to its upper end to detachably engage headed pins 46 and 47 on the outer side or face of the posts. This construction enables the bracket to be attached to and detached from the post by a vertical and lateral or sidewise movement to throw it into and out of engagement with the pins, as will be readily understood. By applying such a bracket to each post the supporting-surface of the posts will be extended or increased to support mold bottom boards of comparatively lar e size.

From t e foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of the invention will be understood without a further extended description.

Changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a block or tile making machine, the combination of a frame, a table vertically movable in said frame and provided with guide-slots, a mold bottom board supported upon the frame, adjustable side boards carried by the table, carriers to which said side boards are removably attached, an eccentric head disposed below and carried by the table, radial bars or links connected at their inner ends with said head, fastenings sliding in said guide-slots and adjustably connecting the outer ends of the links with the carriers, a lever for operating the eccentric-head, and means for raising and lowering the table.

2. In a block or tile making machine, a mold-box comprising a bottom board, side boards adjustably related to said bottom board, carriers for the boards, and brackets upon the carriers to which said boards are detachably connected, said boards being connectible with and disconnectible from the brackets by a sliding movement.

3. In a block or tile making machine, a frame, a vertically-movable table provided with guides, a mold-box bottom supported by the frame, carriers on the table engaging said guides and adapted to be adjusted toward and from said mold box bottom, brackets supported by the carriers, removable mold sides slidably engaging the brackets, means for raising and lowering the table, and means for adjusting the carriers.

4. In a block or tile making machine, a frame having a supporting-surface, a moldboX comprising a bottom board adapted to rest upon said surface and a series of side boards adjustable with relation to said bottom board, and means for enlarging said supporting-surface to provide for the support of bottom boards of diflerent sizes.

5. In a block or tile making machine, a frame having supporting-posts to support the bottom board of a mold-box, and brackets detachably connectible with said posts for extending the supporting-surface.

6. In a block or tlle making machine, the combinaton of a frame having a supportingsurface, a mold-box bottom board resting on said surface, brackets adapted to be connected to the frame to increase said supporting-surface, a vertically-movable table, carriers adjustably mounted-on said table with relation to the bottom board, side boards detachably connected with the carriers and adapted to cooperate with the bottom board to form a mold-box, means for raising and lowering the table, and means for simultaneously adjusting the carriers.

In testimony whereof we afliX our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

DANIEL I. PETTIT.

JOHN E. PETTIT. 

